How to Add Page Numbers?
Every once in a while, a question comes in from a new user that brings you back to how it was when you were first learning a page layout program. Here’s one from Sean that came in today:
I have been learning InDesign and have started to move along, but have gotten to a point to where I have searched the web and the book trying to figure this out, but have yet to find any solution.It seems basic to me, but I can’t figure out how it’s done. I just want to add numbers to all of the pages in the document that I have created. The document has a total of 165 pages and I would like to have all of the pages numbered except for the first one. I have tried going to the Layout->numbering & section option link and have tried all of the different options that are there, but have yet to finish with any numbers on the pages. I just want them all numbered with the page number on the bottom centered.
Is there any way that you can help me with this?
No problem, Sean!
Go to your document’s master pages, and on each page (if it’s a facing pages master), add a small text frame where you want the page number to appear.
Still on the master page, click with the Type tool inside of each text frame, and go to Type > Insert Special Character > Auto Page Number (in CS3, it’s called “Current Page Number”). You’ll see the single-letter prefix of your master page appear in the text frame while you’re on the master pages, which is correct.
Now go to the first page of your document and you should see it say “1″. and page two will show “2″ etc. in that text frame.
To remove the page number from the first page, use the Selection tool to Command-Shift-click on the text frame (to override the master page item, otherwise it’s locked to you) and delete the frame.
Look in the help file for “master page” and “page number” for more info, or watch David’s InDesign CS3 Essential Training on lynda.com for more info.
I’m surprised to read that there isn’t a “different first page” option in the pagination menu for InDesign. To have to remove the frame from the first page came as a surprise.
You can assign a different master to the first page. If you think about most documents that have a different look for the first page, it’s more than just the page number that’s affected. Indeed, sometimes a first page still has the page number but in a different place.
Great point, Dave!
I think in a word processor, there’s not much you’re going to be doing differently from page 1 of a document or section (as opposed to the remaining pages) other than changing the header/footer. So it makes sense to have a simple, and very useful, “different first page” option there.
But in a page layout program, there could be a huge number of things that are different in page one than the rest of the pages in that section/document. So you could either just delete the Auto Page Number frame, or more frames, or apply a different master, or use no master at all — it’s extremely flexible and so, not so simple.
Also, if you need the first page or first couple of pages numbered differently all you need to do is change change your “Numbering & Section Options” in the pages pallet. This will allow you to have roman numeral page numbers at the beginning.
I want to thank you for your very polite help. I feel sort of like a child to learn how easy it is, but sometimes the easiest things can be the hardest to figure out from scratch. Thank you again Anne-Marie. I’m glad that I found your site. You are now in my favorites.
Or you could “Hide Master Page Items”, assuming that the only items on the master page would be the page numbers…
Great answer, Anne-Marie. I also vote for this blog to cover the “back-to-basics” every once in a while. This site is recommended from the Adobe forum, where users may have just started learning ID.
I’ve got a related question. Is there a way to automate not only the current page number but the total number of pages in the document? Meaning, if I want my footer to read “page 1 of 10″ then “2 of 10″, etc. Is there a way to automate the “10″ so that if pages get added or deleted to the document, that total number would change?
Lisa, you can only automate this in CS3, it’s a new feature.
After you add the special character for the Current Page Number in the text frame on the master (preceded by the word “page”), type a space, the word “of”, another space, and then choose Type > Insert Variable > Text Variable > Last Page Number.
Variables can be inserted in any text frame on any page, but for this purpose it’d make sense to add it to the master page text frame with the page number.
Is it possible ti place both numbers of a double page spread on either the left or right page i.e 25|26?
Yes … takes a bit of trickery though.
On the master page spread, create two small text frames, one on each page, and thread them together.
On the page where you don’t want the page numbers to appear, don’t enter anything into the text frame. Actually you could put this frame anywhere you’d like at any size, as long as it’s on that master page.
On the other master page’s text frame (where you do want the numbers to appear), use the Type menu to enter the two Special Characters you’ll need, separated by an en dash or pipe or whatever.
If you want the page numbers on the left-facing page, you’d insert [Current Page Number] - [Next Page Number]; if you want them on the right, [Previous Page Number] - [Current Page Number].
Thanks Anne-Marie - Great solution!
Page numbering in INDD is good example of a very unfriendly user interface - since when did a page number become a “special character?” Users are made to feel stupid because the process is not intuitive. Instead we should demand
better/logical interfaces and fewer hidden menus. There must be over 1,000 places to “click”. That’s why we need “Secrets”
Using the Last Page text variable is great. But what about using that variable in a book? I have a master page that has a text frame which holds the ‘last page’ variable in it. All the documents within the book have this master applied. However the ‘last page’ variable only displays the last page for each document, not the last page number for the entire book. Any thoughts on how to get the variable to get the last page of the book?
One more question. I am paginating the classified section of our newspaper and we have a page number + section letter. Well its pretty easy is your page format is (ie) D1. My question is…how do I get it to show 1D instead?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Chris
Chris, two options. You could just insert the Auto Page Number character, then the letter “D” in the text frame on the master page.
Or, just type the D into the Section Marker field of the Section & Numbering Options dialog box. Then, in the master page text frame, insert an Auto Page Number followed by a Section Marker character.
Hey,
Is there a way to “double number.” a page. Currently I am using Auto Page numbering in InDesign, however I have to “merge” my facing pages, to convert to PDF and the numbers then change from 1 and 2 on the left of each page to 1 and 1. I need the pdfs to match the print for page numbering.
Any ideas?
A twist on the original question — I am working in a document that begins on a right hand page. I would like to begin numbering (starting at 1) on the second page of the document, which is a left hand page. I have overriden the master template option for page 1, but InDesign’ auto number format keeps defaulting my second page number to “2″ rather than “1″ as I would like. Any ideas? Thank you in advance for any help that could be offered.
Another automated page number question: I am formating a dual character Chinese/English book with mirrored pages (simplified-Chinese/English facing identical layout for traditional-Chinese/English). The page numbers need to be the same on both facing pages (page#1 on left, page#1 on right). Can I automate pagination on left pages and on right pages separately? How can I prevent the left page#1 from automatically moving to the right?
Athena, this is a difficult task. There is no way to handle pagination of left and right pages separately. However, one option in CS3 could be to create two numbered lists — one that goes on the left pages and one on the right pages. It’s not very convenient, but it should work.
I am wondering how to automate page numbers when you want them as 01, 02, 03…etc? Adding the zero. This isn’t a option in the ‘numbering and section’ palette. Does anyone know if this is possible otherwise, I will have to add the zero manually.. Thanks
Inspite of all the good information on this website I cannot find an easy answer to an easy question. After placing a MS Word document of 400 pages in InDesign CS3 all the page numbers are gone. I only want to add page numbers at page 1 up to 400 automatically. Isn’t there an option insert page numbers at footer without placing a frame on the bottom of each page, just like it is possible in MS Word?
Thanks in advance for any answer
Hendrik, no, I’m sorry, but InDesign requires all text to be in a frame. But you can put the frame (and an automatic page number character, which you can find in the Type > Insert Special Characters menu) on one master page and it’ll show up on all your document pages immediately.
I feel silly asking this but it’s driving me nuts. When adding page numbers to a document, how do I get it to skip the cover/first page, and start numbering with the second page as #1? Does even make sense?
Ray, you need to use the Numbering & Section Options feature in the Pages panel flyout menu. But remember that odd number pages (such as 1) are right-hand pages by default, if you have a facing pages document.
Thanks so much for your awesome site! A lifesaver - your instructions are soooo clear and easy to follow.
I have a project in which the two pages making up the spread need to have the same section/page number. For example the left page needs to read 201-01; the right page needs to read the same. The following spread reads: 201-02 & 201-02, etc. etc. until the next section which would read 202-01, 202-01; 202-02, 202-02 and on and on. Is there a way to do this without typing in the page numbers manually?
I can’t think of any way to do that, Nate. Tricky…
Thanks David - as always, i appreciate your response. I’ve proceeded in the mean time and am through 274 pages… o well. Thanks again!
Is there a way to auto-number report pages while skipping my divider pages? For example,the page before the divider would be 13 and the page after the divider would be 14. Right now, my dividers are a separate master than the regular pages and when I auto-number in my regular page master, the page before the divider is 13 but the page after the divider is 15.
I would also like to know if it possible to skip pages when numbering, for instance, only having number on the right hand pages, while the left hand pages are omitted from the numbering sequence. This would be VERY helpful.
Thanks for a great InDesite (InDesign Site)
In CS3, I’ve inserted page numbers in the lower case roman numerals for the first 10 pages, then I tried to change page 11 to page 1 to begin the first section. However, the page jumps to the left or down. Why?
Abby and Darrel, I’m sorry, but no, there’s really no way to tell InDesign to skip-and-keep-numbering. If you’re using dividers, just start each new section with a Section Start (using section & numbering options).
Betty: I’m not sure what the problem could be. What do you mean, the page “jumps”?
Hi David,
It forces the right-had recto Section text, either to the left-hand Verso page, or down to the next verso page.
Placing page 1 on the left, and page 2 on the right.
I am using InDesign CS3 and have a large book file with many documents contained in it. I have master pages to designate which pages will have displayed page numbers and those which don’t. The auto update feature used to work fine, but now the pages are number only with the number of pages in each document, not in the whole book file. It’s has been driving me crazy, creating new books, added all the documents and other things. Sometimes it actually looks like it re-name the page numbers (status bar as it runs through all the documents, but then makes no changes. I must have changed something, but cannot figure it out. I have altered back and forth the auto update page numbers, checked all the document start options etc… Anybody got any ideas? I am running out of time and it looks like i may need to manually place each number (which sucks… its a 220pg book)…. thanks in advance for any help. You can email me or respond here (though I am not a member…yet)!
RE: remove first page number.
Simply create a graphic frame, match it to the page color (white for white, etc.), place it over the first page number, then lock it (optional).
I have the same problem at Scot above, Can anyone help!!!!!!
Meagan, as Michael M. pointed out in another post here, you also need to make sure that auto pagination is enabled in the Book panel flyout menu. That could get in the way.
Also choose Numbering & Section Options in the Pages panel menu for each document and make sure it’s set to Automatic Page Numbering instead of “start page numbering at…”.
I have a problem:
I have an image bleeing off each page.
I want my auto page numbers to be on front.
I send my master page auto numbering to front.
I send my images bleeding off page to back.
Cannot see the page numbers.
Help?
Never mind, all.
I figured it out.
You can put your auto page number on a new layer, on the top.
You should set your auto page numbers to ignore text wrap(command-B).
Calamity Jane
What if I need (in a calendar 366 days divided to 12 Month sections) I need to make the 1-31 change automatically and also the 1-366 (which will be in each page in the same time)… Is there a way to do that? and if you drag a page from July to January it will re adjust everything automatically?
Thanks,
Zarief
As Ben (and I think Scott) above have hinted at; there seems to be a problem with the “last page number” variable in a book spanning multiple documents; the final page number is not the final page number of the complete book.
Instead it updates the final page number as it goes along, increasing it as new documents are added to the book.
Can someone please confirm if this IS working properly for them, so I know there is at least a solution/ I am doing something wrong? Thanks!
Thank you to whoever posted the instructions for numbering pages. As a long-time Quark user, I had to quickly learn InDesign for a project. It was great finding this information, as it was nowhere to be found in the InDesign manual. Thank you!